120 MILK HYGIENE 



July, 13 cases ; 2nd July, 3 cases ; 3rd July, 2 cases ; and 

 4tli July to 8tli July, 4 cases — ^making a total of 42 cases 

 in 22 families. The symptoms included redness, swell- 

 ing of tlie throat, fauces, palate, and uvula, with numer- 

 ous spots, patches of exudation, and in some cases 

 ulcers. The general symptoms consisted of severe head- 

 aches, giddiness, backache, and pains in the limbs, very 

 much like an attack of influenza. The temperature was 

 about 102° to 103° F., but in a few cases was higher. In 

 some cases there was gastric and intestinal disturbance. 

 G-reat weakness was also present. In every case the 

 milk supply was obtained from the same dairy. On 

 Sunday, 30th June, many persons consumed cream with 

 fruit, and these included nearly all the worst cases. In 

 some families children who drank boiled milk escaped, 

 whilst parents who consumed unboiled milk or cream 

 were attacked. One man took cream in the form of ice- 

 cream, and had a severe attack. ' ' 



It must, however, be regarded as possible that these 

 cases of sore throat were caused not by contamination 

 of the milk from a human source but to the presence of 

 organisms of suppuration eliminated by cows with dis- 

 eased udders. L. P.] 



The transmission of measles, small-pox, pest, dysen- 

 tery, or cerebro-spinal meningitis by milk has not been 

 observed, but the possibility of such transmission can 

 scarcely be doubted. 



VI. CONTAMINATION WITH OTHER BACTERIA 



Milk becomes infected with bacteria during the act of 

 milking. These contaminating organisms come partly 

 from the teat canal, partly from dirt, hairs, and dandruff 

 on the skin of the cow, partly from the hands and cloth- 

 ing of the milkers, partly from the dust of the stable. 

 Still more are added when the milk is collected and 



